This is a yes and no answer for me. Sustaining offensive pressure does NOT help Kane, IMO, since he is horrendous in reading the offensive zone and finding the soft areas of the ice. So sustained pressure makes absolutely no difference. However players that are able to help Kane get a quick break out of the defensive zone are useful which might help him somewhat. I don't feel that that difference is worth it compared to a player able to contribute overall to an offensive line with smart players therefore I find him more useful on a useless 3rd line where he makes everything himself which is where he excels. He creates HUGE problems for opposing teams by being the guy who is on the line nobody expects (ie taking easiest matchups) and making plays himself out of it. He does not play well with others.
And yes garret will give me his hard time with his shots and shot attempts (which Corsi pawns off as "possession") blah blah blah but Kane is one of the examples that skews the results with his useless shot attempts which he creates completely by himself.
Depends on what your talking. Are you talking "possession/shot attempt" improvement or actual team improvement. Yes in terms of shot improvement you will see it on THAT line (while the other line reduces MUCH more than this line improves) due to the linemates being better. So what is better? 50 SOG, 10 G 2nd line + 20 SOG 1 G 3rd line OR 40 SOG ,9 G 2nd line + 40 SOG, 5 G 3rd line.
No denying this. I've always stated that there's maybe 5 players in the entire NHL that can do what Evander Kane does offensively 5v5. His natural talents make him easily an elite talent offensively 5v5 in terms of goalscoring. He is hugely useful and a huge asset to the Jets and other teams if he were to be traded. But that does not excuse his huge limitations which included improving teammates, PP, hockey IQ, etc. His limting factors for sure make him a complementary type player. He is a GREAT complementary player but still a complementary player.
If my memory serves me correct the 2nd line of Kane-Antropov-Burmistrov were the line that got the Jets shooting out of the gate in our first year. They eventually had to be broken up because the top line was floundering...Years 2 and 3, Burmistrov and Kane did not play much together, Jokinen was handed the #2 centre role (until Scheifele usurped him). Thus the player who is a shooter (not always high % agreed) was surrounded by players who were not great passers, the exception being the brief period before Scheifele's injury, which I though was the best Kane played last year.
I see him as another Max Pacioretty, his speed is world class, if he gets a step he is going to win the foot race, but you are once again correct in saying that he has not learned to find the soft spots, which is Hockey IQ, and one part coaching. 40 goals is definitely within his realm with a playmaking centre.
I also thought he looked pretty dangerous paired up with Frolik on the PK last year. My biggest concern about his game was stupid penalties, which he had a penchant for. I don't know if he is a yapper on the ice, but the refs know his number...That's why if we do play him on a 3rd line, I would not mind it one bit if a sandpaper player like Thorburn or Peluso, or even Halischuk got some time with him, to keep him out of petty battles, which he seems to get into...However I think he deserves a shot with Scheif, would love to see him Scheifele and Petan as a 2nd line going forward.
